Resorts Island

The Baa Atoll is made up of 50 islands and is south of the Raa Atoll, and north of the Male Atoll. It is around 130 Km northwest of the airport, and is home to around 5 resorts, which were uninhabited but have now been converted to quality hotels.

The Baa atoll is normally reached from the airport by seaplanes and speedboats. It’s a long way on a speedboat so a seaplane flight is the recommended way.

The resort islands are still completely unspoiled and here you will find some of the best snorkelling, diving and surfing spots in the Maldives

There is no doubt the principal attractions are the unspoilt natural beauty of the Baa Atoll, the untouched beaches, and the pristine condition reefs.

The hotels which appear below are also a reason for visiting the Baa Atoll.

Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu is a 5 star hotel with 99 rooms which is 124 Km from the airport, and will take 30 minutes by sea plane.

Four Seasons Landaa Giravaru is a 5 star deluxe hotel with 102 rooms, and it is 120 Km from the airport, with a 30 minute transfer by sea plane.

Reethi Beach Resort is a 4 star hotel with 100 rooms and it is 104Km from the airport, which will take about 30 minutes by sea plane.

Royal Island Resort and Spa is a 5 star hotel with 150 rooms, and it is 110 Km from the airport, and the transfer by speed boat will take 2 Hours and 40 Minutes, or 35 minutes by sea plane.

Soneva Fushi Resort & Six Senses Spa is a 6 star deluxe hotel with 65 rooms, which is 96 Km from the airport and a 30 minute transfer by sea plane.

There are only 13 inhabited islands from the total of 50 islands.

It was as recently as 1998 that the first tourist resort on Baa Atoll opened, followed by four more Maldives luxury hotels, and these resorts have increased employment on the Baa Atoll. The other islands remain as they were, totally unexploited with white sandy beaches, whose only real visitors are tourists on hotel excursions.

Baa Atoll does have possibly the top Maldives Luxury Hotel in the Soneva Fushi Resort Maldives, but the Four Seasons Resort Maldives, the Coco Palm Maldives, the Four Seasons Resort Maldives, and the Royal Resort Maldives number amongst the resorts that should be on your list.

When you arrive for a Maldives holiday in the Indian Ocean, the rest of the world seems very far away. Tiny islands and atolls are home to stunning hideaway hotels, often with accommodation built out over the water on stilts. This is the perfect destination for a romantic honeymoon, a luxury scuba diving experience, or simply as an escape from the stresses of everyday life.

The Maldives are a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean. There are a total of 26 atolls stretching out into the Ocean, made up from a total of 1192 tiny islands. Only about 200 of these are inhabited. The name ‘Maldives’ is said to be derived from the Sanskrit phrase ‘Maale Dhivehi Raajje’. This translates as ‘The island kingdom of Male’.

The islands are surrounded by beautiful coral reefs that are ideal for diving in. Scuba diving and snorkelling rank amongst the finest in the world here and each resort has its own dive school offering courses for first timers as well as experienced divers. The waters around the Maldives are home to over 1000 different types of marine life and they provide a truly spectacular sight! Watersports abound with windsurfing, sailing and water skiing all on hand, while the surrounding seas boast some of the world’s best big game fishing year round.

This is a Muslin country, and Ramadan is observed here. Throughout the year alcohol is readily available at all the hotels, but you are not permitted to bring duty free liquor into the country. Any bottles you do bring will be confiscated upon arrival and returned on your departure. No restrictions are placed on what you are allowed to wear on any of the tourist islands, however when visiting inhabited islands such as Male’, visitors are asked to dress in a modest manner.

For a truly luxurious holiday, a holiday to the Maldives is simply perfect!

The Maldives is a haven for snorkellers and scuba divers, with its abundance of coral and sea life. Its beaches and hotels don’t disappoint either.

Where is it?

The Maldives is a group of over 1000 coral islands, set in the Indian Ocean, off the south west coast of India. The tiny islands are dotted in a string heading south and they provide a peaceful, if expensive getaway for the traveller in search of quiet relaxation.

Where can I stay?

It’s hard to beat the perfect combination of wide, white sandy beaches, perfect blue seas and tropical sun, and most hotels in the Maldives make the most of their surroundings by offering guests access to the beach direct from their rooms, or creating romantic areas for dinner and drinking. Boutique hotels go a step further than this by creating a cool, contemporary feel that makes guests feel right at home, whilst anticipating their every need, so that a simple holiday really does become a paradise for its duration. On the Ari Atoll lies the most exclusive hotel in the island group, the Dhoni Mighili. This stunning hotel sleeps just twelve people and guests arrive either by luxury speedboat, private plane or romantic Dhoni. A butler sees to your every need. Eat, drink and sleep to your own schedule and make the most of every minute. Or, if the North Male Atoll is more to your taste, the Hufaven Fushi is a decadent boutique hotel just 25 minutes by speedboat from the Male’ International Airport. Relax by your private pool, because there’s only your villa and one other on the whole complex. If you want a candlelit dinner on the beach, just say so. Truly indulgent, but worth every penny.

What can I see?

The islands that make up the Maldives are all small and you can island hop between some of them. Many people come for the diving and snorkelling, but it may be worthwhile taking a trip to Male, the capital city, where markets, mosques and small shops may bring you back to reality. Otherwise, just take in the beauty of the coastlines and the ocean from your boutique retreat and soak up the sun.

How do I get around?

Only some of the islands fall within the heavily regulated tourist zone, which the Government has imposed to prevent destruction of natural landscapes and villages. If you want to move between permitted islands, then you can fly or use a dhoni or speedboat. Most islands, however, are small enough to walk or bike round easily.

The Maldives might be exclusive, but if you have the time and you’re prepared to indulge yourself, then there’s nowhere better to go.

If you love the sea and scuba diving, then why not charter a live aboard scuba diving cruise with your diving buddies. Collectively, you can save much more money and time if you live a board a diving cruise ship and go island hopping, scuba diving and fishing for the next ten days of your vacation. That is because you can do away with your hotel accommodation, save traveling time and can go to a lot more dive spots. Where to go for a cruise diving vacation? Try going to the Island nation of Maldives.

Although there are many world class spas, hotels and resorts in Maldives such as the Banyan Tree Spa resort, you have no need to stay in them unless you wanted to. Well, if you want to stay in a luxurious resort, it can be an excuse for you to travel to the Maldives again to enjoy these spa resorts. This is because, once you have scuba dived in Maldives, you will want to go back there again. Maldives is a scuba diver’s paradise.

The atolls of Maldives were formed when millions of years ago, a great range of volcanoes rose from the floor of the Indian Ocean. As time passes, the volcanoes sunk back into the Indian Ocean leaving behind the coral reefs on the Maldivian atolls and islands we see today. That is why Maldives is best known for its white sandy beaches and crystal blue lagoons teeming with marine life.

The country have no big land mass, but instead is made up of about 1200 coral islands with a total area of 104,00.00 sq kilo 99% of which is the sea. Of these islands, only slightly more than 200 of them are inhabited. Most of the islands are not higher than six feet(about 2 meters) above sea level and scientists have warned that they are very susceptible to global warming and may one day, disappear into the ocean. There are already signs that this is happening.

Needless to say, the mainstay of the Maldivian economy is powered by the fishing and tourism industries. About 500,000 tourists arrive on these islands annually. The capital of Maldives is Male (pronounced as Ma-leh). Upon touching down at the airport, you willbe whisked away by a fishing boat because the capital is no larger than a few football fields and have one of the most dense population in the world.

Maldives has been an independent sovereign country except for a brief occupation by the Portuguese. It then became a British Protectorate in the mid-fifties and gained full independence in 965. It has been an Islamic country for more than 800 years.
During the Ming Dynasty, Chinese sailors called Maldives the “submerged mountain chain” wrote commentaries about these islands.

If you enjoy vacations in tranquil tropical islands or simply love fishing and diving, then Maldives will be a great holiday destination for you. Oh, I forgot to mention, if you are a seafood lover, I think there are no other places on Earth where you can get such a wide smorgasbord delicious mouth watering seafood, except in Maldives.

When it comes to deciding the best atoll to have a luxury holiday in the Maldives, then South Ari Atoll takes a lot of beating, with some of the top Maldives Luxury Hotels and Maldives Accommodation to be found, as well as some of the best diving and watersports.

The South Ari Atoll lies immediately south of the North Ari Atoll and west to south west of the airport.

Bearing in mind that this area was the second Atoll in the Maldives to venture into tourism, the island resorts here seem as unspoilt as the day they were built. A wonderful place to dive, snorkel or swim in the crystal clear turquoise water. To enjoy the wonderful multicoloured marine life, perhaps just lie on a powder white sand beach, or be energetic and windsurf, or play tennis, or volleyball.

Whatever you choose to do in the South Ari Atoll, you will feel a thousand miles from anywhere, and the top Maldives Luxury Hotels includes the following selection.

Angaga Island Resort and Spa is a 4 star hotel with 70 rooms, which is 85 Km from the airport, and reached by a 25 transfer in a sea plane.

Hilton Maldives Resort and Spa is a 5 star deluxe hotel with 150 villas, and is 90 Km from the airport, and reached by a 30 minute flight by seaplane.

Holiday Island Resort is a 4 star hotel with 142 rooms, and is 97 Km from the airport, and you can transfer by speedboat in 2hours 30 minutes, or by sea plane in 35 minutes.

Lily Beach Resort is a 4 star hotel with 95 rooms, and is 80 Km from the airport, and a sea plane transfer will take 25 minutes.

Mirihi Island Resort is a 5 star hotel with 36 rooms, and is 85 Km from the airport, and a sea plane transfer will take 30 minutes.

Ranveli Village is a 3 star hotel with 56 rooms, and is 77 Km from the airport, and a sea plane transfer will take 30 minutes.

Sun Island Resort and Spa is a 5 star hotel with 350 rooms, and is 99 Km from the airport, and a sea plane transfer will take 35 minutes, or 160 minutes by speedboat.

Vakarufalhi Island Resort is a 4 star hotel with 50 rooms, and is 90 Km from the airport, and a sea plane transfer will take 25 minutes.

Vilamendhoo Island Resort is a 4 star hotel with 141rooms, and is 82 Km from the airport, and a sea plane transfer will take 25 minutes.

White Sands Resort & Spa is a 5 star hotel with 141 rooms, and is 104 Km from the airport, and a sea plane transfer will take 30 minutes.

When you come to choose your luxury holiday in the Maldives, then the South Ari Atoll Maldives accommodation takes a lot of beating, however many hotels require a sea plane flight, or a long transfer by speed boat after a long flight. If you are prepared for this, then you will be able to enjoy some of the best beaches, lagoons and Maldives luxury hotels here.

While Male may be the capital of the Maldives – a place where visitors almost exclusively arrive into and leave from the country, it’s interesting that many visitors do not spend a single night in Male. This is because most visitors go directly to their resort island and spend most of their time there.

Many visitors still get to see Male via day trips organised by several of the resort islands.

Male isn’t particularly large – in fact it’s possible to walk around the island in slightly over an hour (it’s dimensions being approximately 2km long and 1km wide).

For its land mass, Male is pretty densely populated with around a 70,000 strong population. There are ongoing land reclamation projects in progress to increase the amount of space on the island.

Despite being a small city, Male offers the kind of services you would come to expect from any capital including books, post office, internet access, bookshops, travel agents, a myriad of eateries and so on.

There are a few points of interest for those who venture into Male to get a glimpse of life in the capital.

The Islamic centre & mosque is one of the grander structures in the city. Hukuru Miskiiy is the most ancient mosque in Male and dates back to the 1650’s.

There is a National Museum displaying various artefacts once owned by the Sultans (from clothing to weapons).

You may also enjoy visiting the Muleeaage (a structure initially built as a palace and also used as presidential residence in the past).

Shoppers will find quite a few places of interest in Male – for instance Chandanee Magu and Orchid Magu have a cluster of souvenir shops & cafes.

Male isn’t a place to go to for bars or clubs but other forms of entertainment do exist – there are a couple of cinemas (the Star & Olympus on Majeedi Magu). There are also opportunities to catch an outdoor concert at New Harbour.

For sports enthusiasts there is the National Stadium where football & cricket games are regularly contested.

Male has several hotels, guest-houses & inns to suit a wide range of budgets should you have the opportunity to spend a couple of nights.

Those who do get to visit Male for any length of time can enjoy a wide range of eateries serving many different types of international cuisine. Male has several small tea shops offering (non-alcoholic) drinks and small snacks or “short eats” (hedhikaa). Tea shops also offer “long eats”, which tend to be larger more filling dishes.

Tea shops in Male are on the whole cheap and chirpy affairs, serving simple foods at low prices. There are also several higher priced restaurants to choose from. These include cuisines such as Italian, Thai, Indian, American & Chinese. Most restaurants also have their own in-house restaurant.